Rolf's Journey to the Distant Meadows
by Kirkland22
Summary: Rolf has the duty to journey to the Distant Meadows to find one of his family's prized possessions. Rolf leaves the cul-de-sac and now must journey through the land with his pig and goat. I do not own Ed, Edd n Eddy.
1. Rolf's Duty

**Rolf's Journey to the Distant Meadows**

_Chapter 1: Rolf's Duty_

Rolf stood outside his suburban house in the quiet cul-de-sac in the town of Peach Creek. The words he had just heard from his Nana haunted him and echoed throughout his soul. Rolf has successfully upheld his traditions from the old culture of his homeland, and now he knew he must complete the duty his Nana had just placed on him.

Rolf stared into the sky. It was brightly lit from the blazing summer sun. The clouds dispersed from their sun-covering positions, exposing the surface of the earth to the looming ball of fire that distributed light and heat. Rolf noticed that the clouds that were moving away from the sun resembled a herd of sheep evacuating the area after the sound of a howling wolf echoed around.

Rolf strolled through his side yard and stopped at the sidewalk, which ran parallel to the asphalt and formed the beloved cul-de-sac. He gazed at the round creation of road, recalling all the memories he had made in this land.

It had been a land new to him at first, but it had since grown on him. He expressed love for both his homeland and this new suburban land that housed all his new friends. He had felt like a loner to the place when he first arrived, but later had adapted and been accepted to it.

Rolf caught sight of the neighborhood kids, who were enjoying various summer activities in the lane. He walked over to them with a sullen face, down after hearing his new duty that he must follow through with. The kids noticed Rolf and kindly asked him if he wanted to join in the summer merriment.

"Rolf will pass, kids of the cul-de-sac." He said, and the kids began to notice his depression.

"What's wrong, Rolfy?" Kevin asked.

"Rolf has been entrusted with a duty that he must complete. It is a hardship that must be faced in his tradition."

By now, all of the kids had their attention focused on Rolf.

"Rolf will tell you what he must do. I must now journey out of the humble cul-de-sac to the Distant Meadows."

"The Distant Meadows?" The kids said in unison.

"Where's that?!" Sarah shrieked.

"Settle your voice, she who speaks in harsh vocal tones." Rolf responded. "The Distant Meadows were the first place Rolf's family passed through upon our journey to this land. We lost something there. Something of great value to Rolf's family."

"What did you lose?" Kevin asked.

"Rolf's family lost the family Bible that contained documents of many a word of inspiration and hope written by Rolf's forefathers. It was a treasured collection of papers, one that we didn't know we had lost until we arrived at our current location. Nana has been troubled about the losing of that Bible since our arrival, and she has now summoned Rolf to return to this far away land and find that book. If it is still there."

Nazz gave her input. "Can't you go by plane or car, Rolf?"

"Such a thing would be against Rolf's tradition and punishable with the dreaded cupboard. Rolf's forefathers had no intention of using modern transportation. Rolf must do it just like his tradition allows."

The kids stood still and fell silent for the next few seconds.

Rolf continued. "Rolf will be taking two of his animals with him for companionship and assistance. He will ride on top of Victor and carry his supplies and edible material on Wilfred. Rolf's Nana will remain at Rolf's home to take care of the rest of his animals."

The kids were shocked that Rolf would be leaving the cul-de-sac. "But, will you come back?" Jonny asked.

"If Rolf survives the journey, then yes, Jonny the Wood Boy. It will take many moons for Rolf to get to the Distant Meadows and to return to the cul-de-sac."

"When are you going?" Kevin asked.

"Rolf is going to prepare his supplies today and tomorrow and leave in two days."

"We'll miss you Rolf." Nazz spoke sorrowfully.

"Rolf will miss his friends and this modern life here in this well developed land. Rolf must break the news to the Ed Boys too."

"They're probably setting up a stupid scam, Rolf." Kevin suggested.

"Rolf may just give the Ed boys some of his money, as he no longer needs his coins of commercial enterprise." Rolf lowered his head and paced off.

The kids did not return to their activities after this. They just lingered around in shock, knowing that their fellow friend Rolf was about to leave the cul-de-sac for a long time. They expressed their words and opinions about Rolf for a while and discussed what they thought of Rolf's journey.

The following day, Rolf had gathered much of the supplies that he would be taking along with him. He packed many non-perishable food items so he would not go hungry on his journey. Another necessity that he packed was a large crate of water, which was the most essential item he would be taking with him. Fortunately, since he had the help of his animals, Rolf was able to pack large quantities of these items. He also assembled a small wagon that Wilfred would tow, which had the potential to hold many more items.

That night would be his final night in the cul-de-sac. Rolf entered his home and recapped on the days when he lived and worked here. Night had soon befallen the quiet cul-de-sac, and Rolf dozed off into a deep sleep.


	2. Rolf's Journey Begins

_Chapter 2: Rolf's Journey Begins_

Rolf awoke with a start the next morning. The sun was rising and the moon was fading away into the clouds. Today was the day he would be heading out into the world to find the Distant Meadows.

Rolf trotted to his kitchen where he fixed himself a large breakfast with his Nana. He would need to eat all he could before leaving so he could save his packed food for when he needed it. Rolf enjoyed the last fresh breakfast at his house with bacon, eggs, and other foods that he could not pack and take with him on his journey.

After he finished breakfast, Rolf exited the house and walked through his backyard. Wilfred and Victor seemed to know that they would be leaving because they were squirming around and making anxious noises. Rolf tied the wagon behind Wilfred and loaded it up with his food and supplies.

Rolf exchanged his final goodbyes with his chickens and cow. They would now be under his Nana's care.

He left his backyard farm and met up with the cul-de-sac kids. The kids had all awaken and were waiting for him. Even the Eds were there. This was Rolf's last visit with the kids before he was to journey off to the Distant Meadows.

He waved goodbye to the kids and went back to his house. He strolled through his home one last time before he departed. He exchanged the last goodbye with his Nana, and then summoned Wilfred and Victor to accompany him.

Together, Rolf, Wilfred, and Victor started northeast away from the cul-de-sac. Rolf rode on top of Victor and had his eye on Wilfred who was towing the wagon of supplies.

The junkyard was the first place they passed through. It was a dirty and dusty place, but filled with hidden treasures that the kids loved finding. Wilfred briefly stopped to dig through a patch of garbage.

"Wilfred!" Rolf growled. "Do not delay our journey! Please do not get distracted."

Wilfred looked back at Rolf and obeyed.

Outside the junkyard was the open field. Eventually, Rolf arrived at the forest and was out of sight of the cul-de-sac.

In a few hours, Rolf ate a small lunch from the canned food items he had carried along with him. He had enough food to last him at least two months, but that may not have been enough to last the entire journey to the Distant Meadows and back.

Wilfred and Victor ate whatever they saw as food on the journey. Rolf didn't usually have to supply them with any sustenance because they found it on their own. They also came across a few ponds where the animals stopped to drink.

By the late afternoon, Rolf had arrived at a region full of knolls and steeper hills. Grass and weeds had engulfed the entire landscape, leaving little room for anything else to grow. Rolf saw this as a good place to stop and eat a small dinner. After the quick consumption of canned beets, Rolf continued his journey.

The land was familiar to Rolf, because this was exactly the path his family took to arrive at the cul-de-sac in the first place. Rolf's memory of the area was vague and it had changed a little, but he still could recognize many of the features in the land.

Night fell upon the land and Rolf and his animals were ready to find a temporary shelter. Rolf looked at his watch, which read 9:49 p.m., and then motioned for his animals to halt.

"We must find a shelter for the night, Wilfred, Victor." Rolf explained. He scrutinized the area and sighted a forest of tall oak trees that loomed into the sky. "Rolf sees our temporary slumber location."

Rolf found an opening in between two fallen oaks that formed a shelter. Wilfred and Victor curled up and drifted of into sleep almost instantly.

After releasing the wagon from Wilfred, Rolf lied down on the ground and closed his eyes. It was just the first day, and he had already cleared a large region. Sleep soon caught up with Rolf. Rolf slept comfortably on the soft ground, and dreamed of the land that lied ahead of him.

The journey had begun.


	3. The Storm

_Chapter 3: The Storm_

Rolf's eyes shot open as the sun sent bright rays of light onto the earth. Rolf could see darkened clouds amassing in the sky, waiting to cover up the bright sun and turn the weather from sunny to rainy.

Rolf sprang up and blinked his eyes. Morning had come too fast for him. Wilfred and Victor awoke just after Rolf and trotted about the area in search of breakfast.

"Rolf sees that Wilfred and Victor have an empty belly this morning." Rolf yawned and stretched and stood up to face the morning light. He could tell that this light would only exist for another hour or two, as the storm clouds rapidly clustered in the sky.

He chose to skip breakfast so he could save the food for when he really needed it. Once Wilfred and Victor returned with full stomachs, they started their journey again.

They soon entered another field after running down a small fence. This field stretched for nearly 100 acres and was full of flowers, plants, and a few trees. It was private property and was receiving damage from the reckless stomping of Wilfred and Victor. Rolf took notice of the owner in the distance and changed his course to a nearby creek.

The creek flowed through a ditch of mud and weeds. Tall trees loomed overhead, and covered the place from sunlight. In a small gap in between trees, Rolf looked above to see the sky. The ominous clouds were approaching rapidly, preparing for an inclement storm.

It began to drizzle slightly once the creek led into an area without as many trees to block light. In just another half-hour, it began pouring down and thundering. Rolf realized that he needed to find a quick shelter before it rained any harder.

Wilfred and Victor did not like the rain and scrambled for a clump of trees near the creek for shelter. The rain was pelting the earth and lighting was erupting all around. This storm delayed the journey for the rest of the morning.

At lunchtime, the storm let up to just a small drizzle so Rolf set back out on the journey. He consumed a quick lunch from his storage while Wilfred and Victor left to find food.

The ground was saturated with water from the rain. Every step Victor took splashed up water around them.

By mid-afternoon, the storm came back. Rolf and his animals once again had to find shelter and wait out the rain and thunder.

The journey was heavily delayed this day because of the storm. Rolf, Wilfred, and Victor had little to do while waiting for the rain and thunder to stop. The ground had been drenched and the sky had been darkened.

Finally, before dinner, the storm showed signs of passing. Rolf and his animals returned on their journey by about 4:30 p.m.

They soon stopped to eat dinner by the creek. When they continued on again, they could tell that the creek was coming to an end, so they had to find another path.

The rest of the day was without storms. The leftover rain still soaked the area, but there wasn't any more rain yet to fall to contribute to the drenched ground.

Darkness gripped the landscape once night fell. Rolf knew it was time to go to sleep.


	4. The Town

_Chapter 4: The Town_

The following day, the storm clouds dispersed from the sky and the sunlight once again ruled over the summer day. The rain had ceased, the lightning had been tamed, and the thunder calmed down. The ground was still damp from the excess precipitation of the previous day, but was beginning to dry up with the beaming heat of the sun overhead.

Rolf and his animals found themselves on a very peaceful journey that day. The soft and moist ground seemed to replenish Wilfred and Victor as they walked through the hilly landscape of the area. The air was clean and fresh which provoked them to take deep breaths and smile at the surroundings. The entire day was peaceful and without harsh weather.

Rolf ate sparingly this day so he could savor the food for the rest of the journey. He was expecting his supplies to dwindle down even in just a few days, but they didn't. This gave Rolf more confidence knowing that he still had plenty of food to consume on his journey.

Darkness came later in the day when the sun volunteered to take a rest and refresh itself for the next day. Rolf and his animals found a ditch in the ground sheltered by a row of hedges. Sleep caught up to Rolf and drowned out the rest of the world outside the ditch.

The next day, Rolf awoke early. He set out earlier this day because he remembered that there was a town not too far from his location that he passed through back when he first came to the Peach Creek area. He knew that he might take some of the money he brought with him to purchase food at one of the stores in the town.

Rolf, Wilfred, and Victor arrived at the town right before lunch. They had come from behind it on a hill that overlooked the whole area. The town was very small and clustered up, but there were still many people stirring about.

Rolf crossed over a small highway that connected the town to the outside world and entered the limits of the town. A few pedestrians noticed Rolf, who was riding on top of a goat and trailing next to a pig with a wagon. They looked in surprise, because it was not often when a kid came into the town riding on an animal without his parents.

No one asked Rolf what he was doing even though many folks noticed him. He stumbled around the sidewalks before he came to a stop right outside a small market.

Rolf placed his animals outside the shop before he entered. He took five quarters out of his pocket, which was all the money he had left on him. He had given each of the Eds a quarter before leaving.

Rolf ended up spending all of this money on two food items. Because it was lunchtime and he would not be taking it along with him, Rolf purchased two perishable food items. This was his lunch for the day.

Rolf leaned up against the wall on the outside of the market next to Wilfred and Victor. He ate his lunch while observing the town around him. He asked one of the locals what the name of the town was, and was told that it was called "Plum Springs." This friendly local also pitched in and gave Rolf a quarter after Rolf informed him about what he was doing. Rolf went back into the market and used this quarter on a small food item.

By the afternoon, Rolf was ready to leave the town. He explored the place first and put an empty food can on next to a pole for people to drop donations in. Rolf only received a dime and a nickel.

Outside the town were a few country roads and private ranches, and then the land went back to undeveloped. Rolf traveled along a path that had likely been used by animals many times because it was worn down from paw prints. A snake slithered across the path, but disappeared before Wilfred and Victor could panic.

The rest of the day was peaceful, though the wind kicked up a small cloud of dust over the area. When night fell, things returned to normal as the darkness struck the area. Rolf found another shelter for the night and fell asleep fast after the long and tiring day.


	5. Victor's Injury

_Chapter 5: Victor's Injury_

A week had passed since Rolf stumbled into the town of Plum Springs. The journey had taken him far, far away from the cul-de-sac. He was now over a hundred miles away from his home, stranded out in the middle of nowhere trying to get to the Distant Meadows. Storms had blown through, towns were passed by, and ranches and farms were right in Rolf's path.

Rolf encountered another town just a few days after he stumbled into Plum Springs. This town was called Apricot Valley, and was much smaller with a population consisting mostly of farmers and ranchers. Rolf did not stop to purchase anything or ask for money in Apricot Valley.

It was a hot day, and Rolf and his animals were tired. They had just circled around a lake, which took up some of their valuable time. The sun was high up in the sky and the heat was beaming down upon them. A rough and rocky path lied ahead of them.

Unfortunately, the rocky path caused an unexpected happening to occur. On the path was a very sharp pointed rock that sat right in the middle.

Victor was stepping around and his left paw jammed right into the rock. Victor freaked out and fell to the ground, knocking Rolf off his back.

This ended up shocking Wilfred too, who then squealed in panic and trotted about in circles. Victor lied on the ground, his paw bleeding from his injury.

Rolf took immediate action. He grabbed his First-Aid kit from the wagon Wilfred was towing. He had expected something like this to happen, so he prepared for the worst.

Rolf cleaned Victor's wound and bandaged it up. The bleeding soon ceased, but the pain was still intense for poor Victor. Rolf carried Victor to a soft spot next to a tree where they rested.

This was a near fatal blockade for their journey. Rolf relied on Victor to transport him, and with a paw injury, it would take Victor a while to recover and to be able to carry Rolf again.

This unfortunate accident delayed the journey for several days. Wilfred was helpful enough to retrieve food for Victor, but Rolf had to pour some of his water into a bowl for Victor to drink. Victor received the best care he could be given, but nothing really sped up his recovery.

The next day, Rolf inspected the wound. It was healing, but still needed some time. Rolf determined four days later that Victor had recovered well enough to continue on the journey.

It was a little difficult for Victor to carry Rolf while being injured, but he managed. Victor limped more and didn't walk as fast. They often stopped to give Victor a rest and to get him food and water.

It took more than a week for the injury to completely heal. The bandage remained on Victor's paw for the next week and a half, until Rolf decided that it wasn't necessary any more. It seemed that Victor was able to cope with the injury.

Rolf, Victor, and Wilfred found a grove of trees one night the following week that was their best nighttime shelter on the journey. It was perfectly shaded by the trees, it fit Rolf and the animals, and was in a quiet area away from any noise pollution. This night gave Rolf hope that the journey was going well at the moment, despite several unexpected occurrences that had to be dealt with.

Sleep drowned out Rolf's soul in minutes and the darkness wrapped around the grove.


	6. One Month Later

_Chapter 6: One Month Later_

An entire month had passed since Rolf set out on his journey to the distant meadows. It was a month filled with many hardships and difficulties, but also with many happy moments with nature and the wonderful feeling of trekking out to a faraway place. Victor's injury was probably the worst experience they had so far on the journey. But overall, the journey went smoothly and there was no lack of food or water.

Rolf and his animals also passed by many little and large cities. He received donations from the locals in most of these towns and used the money to purchase more food and water. The support he received from these folks couldn't have been better.

Toward the end of this month, Rolf crossed over a range of mountains. The valleys in between them were narrow, rough, and occupied by aggressive animals. Rolf chose to travel up and around the mountains to avoid this turbulence.

There were freshwater lakes and streams in an assortment of places on the other side of the mountain range. This was a great place for Rolf's animals to drink freshwater from the streams. The ground was soggy and the air was humid, and the nights they spent back in this country were pleasant.

The area was very familiar to Rolf, so he knew they were getting much closer to the Distant Meadows. He didn't expect to have reached this far in the time they had spent journeying. He knew that if Victor had not received the injury, they would have been even farther than they were at the moment.

There was only one other storm this month, which blew through a few days before they arrived at the mountains. The weather had proven to be mostly peaceful throughout the journey so far, despite the two storms that they encountered.

The next month, Rolf and his animals came upon a gently sloped area that spanned almost two miles. The ground was soggy and muddy, but there were still some dry parts that adequately housed them when darkness fell. A river was conveniently placed beside their shelter.

The amount of wind increased in the next few days when a small front blew in. Instead of blowing in at one time, it blew in phases, which meant that the winds prolonged for a large period of time but didn't get very strong. This kicked up some dirt and dust that had been lying around the area.

The area eventually became even more familiar to Rolf as he identified many of the landscape features. They were getting very close to their final destination, and Rolf began thinking about the family Bible that he was searching for.

Was the book still there? Probably not. The rain had probably seeped through the pages and stained the text inside. Would it have been forced away to another location by other animals or the wind? This was very likely. Rolf understood that the chances of finding the book intact or even partially intact was very low.

Still, he never gave up the strong hope and determination that he had summoned up. It was his duty to retrieve this book in whatever state it was in, just like his traditions expected him to do. He hoped he would return victorious and please his Nana so greatly at the sight of the family Bible.

Rolf, Wilfred, and Victor continued on their journey as the blazing sun spread it's light around the area.


	7. The Gorge

_Chapter 7: The Gorge_

The landscape changed dramatically from the previous month to this next month. One day, the land was smooth and moist, the next day the land was rugged and dry. The mountain range was far behind Rolf and his animals now, and the even harsher landscape lied ahead of them.

One day, they entered a large ranch and realized that it went on for miles. The land was flat and contained decent soil in some parts, but the rugged landscape did not stay hidden. Wilfred and Victor tripped a few times, but were still conscious of their balance. Finally, the land that made up the ranch ended and dropped off into a gorge.

Rolf motioned for Wilfred and Victor to stop. They stood right next to the gorge, gazing down at the land that was far beneath them. Rolf looked to the sides of him, and realized that the gorge blocked off their path for miles. He inhaled and exhaled in frustration and covered his forehead with the palm of his hand.

The main problem was that Rolf did not recall this gorge when he first journeyed to the cul-de-sac. This meant that he had gone off-course and was not going in the direction of the Distant Meadows. The land had gradually become foreign to Rolf and now had come to a dead end.

It was here that Rolf stopped the journey for lunch. Wilfred and Victor left to find their own food as Rolf squatted down on the desert ground on the edge of the gorge, eating his food.

He noticed that his food supply was running short. He knew he had a lot of food that would last him most of the way back to the cul-de-sac, but he needed more. He prayed for another town where he could buy himself food with the little money he had.

His water supply was decreasing even worse. The enormous tank of water that Wilfred was towing didn't even contain half of the water that it had when he had left the cul-de-sac. He needed water badly, and the money he had with him likely wouldn't buy him the adequate amount of fluid that was essential to him.

Rolf knew the main culprit for the necessity troubles was the delay from Victor's injury. This halted the journey half a week, but yet their rate of food and water consumption did not slow down.

It seemed like a time to be pessimistic about the journey. Rolf was beginning to lose his great hopes, but he still had the full force of urge and determination left in him, no matter what difficulties he faced.

By the afternoon, Rolf, Wilfred, and Victor decided to walk to the left and hope they would reach a spot where they could travel across the gorge. Rolf determined that he had strayed too far to the right, which led them to this gorge. He figured that by going to the left, he would recognize the land from his first journey to the cul-de-sac and know that he was on the right path again.

Unfortunately, Rolf did not recognize the land in the area after traveling a mile on the side of the gorge. The gorge just kept going and did not gradually fade into the flat land like he was expecting and hoping.

By dinnertime, they had traveled a long way away from when they first arrived at the gorge. Still, the land looked almost exactly the same, if just a little more rocky and deserted in these parts. The gorge loomed over a creek that lied below and was too steep to allow anyone to travel down it and go back up it again.

This night, Rolf and his animals found a small shelter that was tucked in under a boulder and a bush. The bush was the only green plant for acres, the rest of the area being desert and rocks. The night wasn't any less hot than the day, but Rolf managed to drift into sleep.

Was he going to be able to trek his way away from this gorge and match the land up to what he remembered back when he first journeyed here? He did not know. The journey may have been going in the right direction, but it was still full of doubts.


	8. The Familiar Land

_Chapter 8: The Familiar Land_

Rolf awoke to a morning full of piercing sunlight that beamed down upon the desert. The light reflected off of the gorge and set the surrounding land on fire. It was an average summer day.

After Rolf and his animals ate breakfast, they continued to their left to find an end to the gorge. The soil was parched and hardened to dryness and the sun only made it feel worse to step on. It was beginning to crack and become unstable, so Rolf decided it was best to ease away from the drop-off of the gorge to avoid non-sturdy ground.

By late morning, the land was flattening, and becoming less rocky. Finally, it seemed they had stepped through the first patch of moist and soft mulch for miles. Even the gorge was shrinking in its massive size, and the clouds were clustering around the blazing sun. The landscape changed so fast and unpredictably for Rolf, which gave his determination a boost.

At lunchtime, they had stumbled into a forest of oak trees. Wilfred and Victor had a much easier time finding food for themselves because the land was rich in prey. Rolf ate sparingly on his dwindling food supplies, but was pleased to see his animals having so much good fortune with their food-findings.

In the afternoon, once the forest came to an end, Rolf could see the gorge again. The area around the gorge was no longer deserted and dry. It was moist and humid, and precipitation that was left over from spring poured down on the land.

The light rain ceased in the late afternoon, as the gorge was starting to noticeably shrink in size. Finally, after dinner, it got to the point where it would be possible to leap over the gorge to the other side.

After dinner, Rolf found the end to the gorge he didn't think would never end. He had to stop just for a moment to glimpse at the area, and the land ahead of them that the gorge had not claimed.

Rolf stared off into the distance. The clouds blocked the beaming sunlight for him, so he could observe the area without glare from the sun. A giant boulder rested upon the distant landscape ahead of him, and Rolf knew he had seen this boulder before. Soon, Rolf realized that he had found the first familiar sight that he recalled for more than a week.

Rolf's family had once stopped at this boulder on their journey to the cul-de-sac to spend the night. They had not strayed just a little farther to the side to find the long gorge. Rolf was relieved when he understood that he was back on track and would in no doubt come across the Distant Meadows within a week or two.

Rolf slept easier this night. The area was cooled by the rain from earlier in the day, and the sun had been shaded by the clouds. Also, Rolf had the burden of getting past the gorge lifted from him, and he knew he was on the right track again. The moon arose high into the sky leaving the land blanketed in darkness.


	9. The Final Week

_Chapter 9: The Final Week_

Almost a week had passed by since Rolf was back on track after maneuvering around the gorge. Everything started to look very familiar around Rolf, as he neared his final destination. Wilfred and Victor were holding up quite well, although slightly tired and exhausted from the endless walking. Rolf himself was tired and his muscles were sore from the journey. Knowing that the Distant Meadows were close by, Rolf rested easy during these nights, but remembered that he still had to journey all the way back to the cul-de-sac after retrieving the family Bible.

One day, Rolf awoke with a start and began the journey a little earlier. Unbeknownst to him, this day would be exactly a week away from the day he'd arrive at the Distant Meadows.

During these days, Rolf, Wilfred, and Victor traveled in humid weather and walked over damp ground. Another summer rainstorm hit during the second day of this week, which dampened the ground even more.

On the fourth day of this week, they passed by the spot where Rolf's family had to stay for two nights back when they first journeyed to the cul-de-sac. It was here that Rolf found other old memories such as his father's old-fashioned clock from the old country. Because it had been sitting out for many years, the rain and other environmental influences damaged it and withered it down. Still, Rolf instantly identified what it was, because it was a common clock that was seen in his home country.

Also, he explored the cave where his family sheltered through a harsh storm. This brought up several flashbacks for Rolf. In one of them, he remembered venturing out into the woods to find food for his animals, when he encountered a wolf and a coyote. He trembled in fear at this memory, which made him decide to keep moving. He did not feel comfortable in the area he was in as darkness fell and the moon arose high into the sky.

The area seemed ominous to Rolf, and the darkness only worsened his fears. Strange and spooky noises could be heard coming out of the woods that surrounded him. He found a hidden spot under some trees to wait out the night, and drifted into sleep after his fear passed.

The next morning, the sun arose and lit up the land, as the clouds were forced to the side. The overall spookiness of the area decreased as Rolf ate his breakfast. This was the second to last day before he'd reach the Distant Meadows.

It was on this day that Rolf inventoried his food supplies. He determined that he did not have enough food and water to make the journey back to the cul-de-sac, leaving about one and a half weeks to remain foodless. Rolf looked at the money he had in his pockets. This would only buy him enough food and water for about a day, thus leaving an entire week and several extra days without the needed amount of food.

Rolf tried not to focus on his lack of essentials, and put his focus on finding the family Bible in the Distant Meadows. He realized that he would be arriving at his destination in mere days as the land gradually flattened, dried, and became greener, turning into wide-open meadows.

And Rolf knew exactly what the Distant Meadows looked like. This was a place different from all other meadows Rolf had ever seen in his life. It stood out because of its light green land and the fact that it is completely flat for miles without any trees in eyesight. The country in and around it was also very beautiful. This land was unmistakably the land of the Distant Meadows.

Finally, the last day before he'd arrive at the Distant Meadows came. In the distance, Rolf could see completely flat land all around, without trees or plants. The land seemed to blend in into the sky, making it seem as though there was no line on the horizon. He had entered the first part of the Distant Meadows.


	10. The Distant Meadows

_Chapter 10: The Distant Meadows_

The morning sun tapped Rolf on the shoulder the next day, which awoke him suddenly. Rolf leaned over and awoke Wilfred and Victor. They ate breakfast on the Distant Meadows watching the sun shoot up into the sky.

This day was an exciting day for Rolf, because he was now sitting on the ground of the Distant Meadows, the place his family had lost their prize Bible. Somewhere on this meadow, the book was resting, possibly damaged or even moved by the wind of a storm.

It was more than six years ago since the book was left behind. Rolf was only about seven or eight years old when he had journeyed to the cul-de-sac with his family. He still clearly remembered his experiences and the sadness his family was in after they realized that they had lost their Bible at the Distant Meadows.

It was a bright morning and the sun lit the land up as if it were a spotlight shining down on the exact location of Rolf's family Bible. A bead of sweat trickled down Rolf's neck as he proceeded into the Distant Meadows. Not a tree or anything other than flat land and short grass was in sight.

Rolf spent the entire morning searching for the Bible, but his luck ran thin. Lunch on the Distant Meadows was no more than canned beets and a gulp of water for Rolf. Afternoon crept into the day quickly, and there were still dozens of acres left to search on the Distant Meadows.

And soon, the moment of excitement came for Rolf and his animals. It was about 2:00 in the afternoon when Rolf spotted something from the corner of his eye. The land sloped just a bit and a rock was present resting on the grassy green ground. Rolf steered Wilfred and Victor toward this area of interest, and as they trailed closer and closer, Rolf realized that there was something else resting by this rock.

A nervous and excited shiver burst through Rolf's spine. He began to shake, and Wilfred and Victor stopped in their tracks. Rolf's eyes were focused directly on this mysterious and misplaced object. The gentle breeze and the beauty of the meadows did not even remotely distract him. He knew what he was looking at.

Rolf gradually lifted himself up off of Victor's back and he slowly began to walk toward the rock. His alertness strengthened with every footstep. He drew closer to the rock and finally knelt beside it.

Rolf leaned his head over the rock and gazed down upon the rectangular object that was lying against it. The object was partially implanted in the ground and partially above ground, and was withered down. Rolf grabbed hold of it and lifted it into the air for closer observation.

Rolf could not believe it. He was holding his long-lost family Bible.

Rolf eagerly but slowly flipped open the damaged book, and his eyes grew wider. On the first page, Rolf saw a photograph glued onto the page that was partially faded and rubbed down by the rain. One figure could still be made out in the photograph, and Rolf instantly recognized it as his Great Nano.

"Great Nano." Rolf whispered to himself. Tears began to cloud Rolf's eyes and the excited and nervous shivers once again shot through his spine. "Great Nano, Rolf has found one of the only pictures of you." He tried to hold back the rage of bittersweet tears that were developing in his eyes.

Rolf flipped to the next page, which immediately fell out of the book from being weakened by years of rain and harsh weather. Throughout the next pages, Rolf saw a great amount of text that was blurred and smudged by the rain. He read every word that was still legible and all of the sidenotes left by his forefathers. These notes were very wise and detailed all the words and sayings Rolf grew up with, those sayings that seemed so strange and awkward to the other kids in the cul-de-sac. Rolf eagerly flipped through every page in the damaged book, intrigued with the various things in the Bible. Pictures, text, and an assortment of notes, documents, and other writings were scattered in between the sacred pages, and Rolf's attention was so focused on this that he did was not even the least bit conscious of his surroundings.

At the sight of many of these pictures and words, Rolf burst into tears. It was unavoidable. This was a priceless family heirloom and Rolf was not about to just take it and leave. He had to thoroughly read through every bit of legible text and reminisce on all of the pictures that had been left behind.

Rolf kept turning the pages and turning the pages and finally stopped at the last page of the book, which had a picture of Rolf's entire family from back in the old country. There was almost no smudge or trace of damage on this special page, and Rolf could still clearly make out the figures in the picture. It was his entire family's portrait!

Rolf closed the book and glared at the cover, tears dropping out of his eyes. He held the book up into the sky and lied back on the grassy ground. "This is for you, Great Nano!" Rolf shouted at the top of his lungs, which echoed all around the Distant Meadows.

Rolf had done it! He had finally found his family's long-lost Bible in the Distant Meadows!


End file.
